New Perspective
by lxke.writes
Summary: When Shisui asked Sakura out, it was partly out of curiosity, and partly out of spite towards his baby cousin. However, it became so much more.
1. Chapter 1

**New Perspective: Chapter 1**

 **Summary:** Sakura has a new admirer.

Shisui sighed as he walked towards the main house of the Uchiha compound. Itachi had sent for him with one of his crow summons in the ungodly hours of the morning (approximately 8:30 a.m.), telling him they had something important to discuss. Shisui had sent the bird off with a message telling Itachi that he'd be there shortly. 

As the raven-haired man made his way through the streets, getting closer and closer to his destination, he heard shouting coming from one of the nearby Uchiha training grounds. Not recognizing the voices, Shisui decided to take a look. He changed the direction of his steps and found himself at the Northern practice field where he was met with an amusing sight.

It appeared that his little cousin Sasuke and his teammates had been sparring together. Well, they _were_ sparring. Currently, Sasuke was attempting to hold back his pink-haired kunoichi friend, while the blond jinchuriki boy was scrambling away from her on the ground. Shisui had never spared much thought for Sasuke's team before; he had his own responsibilities, and besides, they never seemed to do anything worth noting. He knew that the blond one, Naruto, was a host to the kyuubi, but his annoying personality was much to Shisui's distaste. He didn't know much about the sole kunoichi of the group, but he felt like he had heard something about her that he couldn't quite recall.

Then, Sakura grabbed Sasuke's wrist and flung him across the field before punching the ground and ultimately shattering the earth around them, pulling Naruto into the gaping cracks below him where he couldn't escape. _Ah, that's right_ , Shisui mused. _She's the Godaime's apprentice_. He watched as Sakura cracked her knuckles while marching menacingly towards her trapped teammate. Shisui then figured that as the responsible adult in the situation, he should probably intervene.

With a sigh, Shisui stepped forwards and raised his hand in a greeting. "Hey guys," he chirped, giving the trio one of his award-winning smiles and successfully catching them all off guard. Naruto was on the verge of grateful tears as Sakura's attention was taken away from him. Sasuke trudged out from the bushes he had been tossed into and looked over at his cousin in surprise.

"What are you doing here, cousin?" Sasuke asks warily. Knowing Shisui, he was probably up to something, but his face didn't show any sign of mischief. Then again, he _was_ an Uchiha, so one could never know.

"Ah, nothing really, just passing by. Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?" Shisui asked, keeping in a silent laugh as he watched Naruto clamber out of the ground from the corner of his eye. He turned his gaze to Sakura and raised an eyebrow.

Sasuke still looked skeptical but he does as asked. "This is Sakura," he points at the kunoichi, "and Naruto," he gestures to the orange heap on the ground. "They're my team. Guys, this is my cousin, Shisui."

"Nice to meet you," Shisui grinned, still focusing his gaze on Sakura. The girl blushed under his stare and Shisui counted this as a win. He could feel Sasuke glaring at him off to the side, but paid him no heed. "Well, I wish I could stay, but Itachi decided to send one of his summons to drag me out of bed to meet him, so I have to head out."

"Bye," Sasuke said, his voice as monotonous as ever. Though Shisui could still hear the clear message. _Get the fuck out and quit staring at my teammate_. The elder of the two simply winked at Sakura and body flickered away, leaving the poor girl red in the face with her two companions.

About a week passed since the encounter with Sasuke's team, and Shisui was absolutely enamored by the little, pink spitfire. He tried to discreetly ask Itachi about her, but his response was always "why don't you ask Sasuke?" even though he was sure his younger cousin knew that Sasuke would be way too suspicious. So, Shisui just sulked in hopes that Itachi would give in and divulge some of the information he had on the girl. It didn't work.

However, his hopes would be more than fulfilled when he was invited to dinner at the main house later that week. Shisui didn't think anything of it at first- Mikoto viewed him as a third son, so he was often there for meals- but he was met by a pleasant surprise when he stepped into the house to find Sasuke's team there as well. A sly grin made its way onto his face when he caught Sakura's gaze. He made his way to sit beside her, but Sasuke quickly blocked his path and took the seat Shisui had been aiming for. Naruto already had the other side, so he was forced to sit next to Itachi, across from the girl he had yet to quit staring at.

"Fancy seeing you here," he practically purred. Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but before she could get any words out, Sasuke was talking for her.

"Team Seven comes over often for dinner. You're just never here when it happens," he stated, clearly not liking the way Shisui was eyeing his teammate. Shisui hummed in acknowledgement before turning to Itachi to chat with him while they waited for dinner to be served.

Eventually, Mikoto came into the dining room, balancing several trays of food on her arms which Shisui and Itachi immediately helped her with. After saying their thanks, the group dug in. No matter how many times Shisui came over for dinner, he would always be astounded by Mikoto's skill in the kitchen, and he told her just as such. She simply waved him off, saying he's just trying to butter her up so she'll cook for him more. Shisui laughed at this, but didn't deny anything.

For the most part after that, Shisui behaved himself, though he let slip a few flirty remarks directed towards Sakura. Sasuke would get livid every time he spoke to her, and Itachi appeared vaguely amused.

"So, Sakura-chan," Shisui started, "how has my baby cousin been treating you? He can be a real thorn in the side at times." Sasuke scowled at his observation, but Sakura seemed happy at the attention.

"He's pleasant most of the time, but a bit overprotective. I can't believe this is the first time I've met his family, even though we've been teammates since we were genin!" Sakura sent a playful look over at Sasuke. Shisui's eyes glinted with mischief.

"That's good to hear. Though, I understand his reasoning. Us Uchiha can be quite the… troublemakers." Shisui sent his award-winning grin her way. Sakura blushed (again), and fidgeted in her seat. Shisui looked satisfied with her response, and the remainder of dinner went by without a hitch. Once everyone had finished eating, Mikoto gathered the dishes and took them to the kitchen to clean. Sakura insisted that she help her with the washing, but Mikoto was firm in her stance that Sakura was the guest and thus was exempt from clean-up duty.

Sakura sat in the living room with her team, listening in on their bickering for a while before deciding she should be heading home. Everyone else seemed to agree, so they all stood up and headed towards the fouyer to say their goodbyes. Sakura had just promised Mikoto to visit again soon when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see Shisui smiling at her.

"Sakura-chan, before you leave I'd like to ask you something," the older Uchiha said, ignoring the daggers Sasuke was glaring into his back.

"Oh, what is it?" Sakura asked, blinking at him curiously. Shisui found his throat drying up at her innocent expression. _Gods, why was she so cute?_

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to go on a date with me?" He asked. Sasuke leapt in front of Sakura.

"No, she would not-" He was cut off when Sakura hit him on the head. He rubbed the sore spot and huffed at her.

"I can speak for myself," she narrowed her eyes at Sasuke, then turned back to Shisui. Her expression lightened, as if she hadn't just probably given his cousin a concussion. "I'd love that, Shisui-san. When and where?"

Shisui beamed at her, giving her a location, date, and time. Naruto and Sasuke openly gaped at their female teammate, shocked that she would actually accept an invitation from him.

"Now, would you like me to walk you home?" Shisui offered, holding out his hand. It was Naruto's turn this time to come to Sakura's "rescue" as he pulled Sakura aside by her arm, dragging her to the door.

"No, need! We live nearby each other, so I will take her to her apartment," Naruto said, leaving no room for discussion. Shisui merely raised an eyebrow and bid them farewell right as they left. He could hear a yelp of pain and muffled shouting from behind the door, fading as the two walked away. He sighed and turned around to see a fuming Sasuke.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" the younger boy demanded.

"Taking a pretty girl out on a date," he replied with an evident " _duh_ " in his tone.

"You don't date," Sasuke stated, annoyed with how nonchalant his cousin was being when he himself was about to burst with anger.

"I do what I want," Shisui countered, a smug look on his face. Sasuke couldn't say anything else, as his older cousin body flickered away. Sasuke hated that damn trademark.


	2. Chapter 2

**New Perspective: Chapter 2**

 **Summary:** Shisui and Sakura get to know each other while having fun messing with her team.

Two days passed since Shisui had asked Sakura on a date at the Uchiha main house, and the man found himself waiting for his date outside of the park where they agreed to meet. He got there a little early, just in case, so that he didn't keep her waiting- that would be so un-gentlemanly. He wasn't normally so concerned with being so chivalrous, not that he wasn't always polite, and the change almost worried him. Maybe he was being extra careful out of fear of his cousin's wrath? No, he wasn't afraid of Sasuke's potential tantrum. He was just genuinely concerned with treating Sakura to a good time.

After a few moments of waiting, Shisui spotted a figure jogging towards him, and instantly recognized the pink hair. She quickly found her place by his side and smiled at him, cheeks slightly flushed from running. "Hey, sorry for being late! I let time slip by without noticing," she apologized, looking up at him with those way-too green eyes.

"You're not late, I'm just early," he shrugged in response, giving her a lopsided grin of his own. His smile seemed more sincere this time. He nodded with his head to gesture for them to start walking, instantly taking the lead into town. Noticing the way Sakura kept a respectful distance between them, he mentally rolled his eyes and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to his side. She let out a squeak of surprise that she would deny to her grave, but Shisui was kind enough not to comment on it. Instead he leaned towards her and whispered in her ear. "Your team is following us."

Sakura giggled and nodded, knowing fully well what her obnoxious friends were doing. "Yeah, they've been tailing me since I left my apartment," she told him, shaking her head at their antics. Shisui laughed and they continued on their walk, filling their time together with mindless chatter about this and that until they found themselves at a small tea shop rested at the edge of the main market. Shisui led them in, greeting the owner warmly.

"Hey, ojii-san," Shisui waved at the older man working behind a counter. The man perked up at Shisui's voice and his face spread into a wide smile. He walked over to the two and shook Shisui's hand.

"It's good to see you, boy! Who's this young lady, hm?" The man turned to Sakura with interest. Shisui scratched the back of his head and chuckled.

"This is Haruno Sakura. Do you have a free table for us?" The man nodded, a look of mischief in his eyes that made his wrinkled face look much more youthful.

"Anything for Shisui-kun and his girlfriend," he said slyly, turning around to head towards an empty table before Shisui could say anything else to him. Sakura blushed at his words, shuffling her feet before the pair followed him and took their seats. Shisui didn't seem bothered by the man's assumption, simply sighing a bit and looking over at Sakura with a silent _sorry about that_.

They both ordered some black tea and dango, much to Shisui's delight. As they waited for their tea, they took note of the way Naruto, Sasuke, and apparently Kakashi crouched outside the shop, staring at them from a window. Sakura groaned in annoyance.

"I don't see why they can't just leave us be," she huffed, her lips pulling down into an adorable pout.

"Well, if they won't leave, let's give them something to watch," Shisui suggested smoothly, scooting his chair closer to Sakura so that their arms brushed. Sakura met his eyes, noting the devious glint in them but not saying anything as their tea arrived. They were informed that the dango was still being made, and then they were alone again. They talked about anything and everything as they sipped their tea, thoroughly enjoying each other's company.

"Wait, Sasuke _really_ tried to _flirt_ with the kiri girl?" Shisui asked incredulously. "My baby cousin, _Uchiha Sasuke_ , tried to flirt?" Sakura was telling him a story of a previous mission the team had gone on in the Land of Lightning, and was more than happy to tell of Sasuke's embarrassing exploits.

"Yup! Well, it would've been more flirty if he wasn't drunk off his ass. He more or less just propositioned her out of the blue," she admitted, snorting into her drink. "That's why we don't visit bars as a group anymore. Healing him afterwards was a real chore." Shisui laughed, true and hearty, at her story. This was perfect ammunition to use against his cousin, should the situation arise. He found himself greatly appreciating Sakura's sense of humor and sarcasm, as it complimented his own quite well. They continued to share amusing stories, along with getting to know one another through all sorts of questions.

"What's your favorite melon?" Sakura demanded.

"Cantaloupe?" He answered, though it sounded like a question. He wasn't sure if there was some sort of hidden meaning behind the question. Sakura nodded and hummed in consideration.

"I'm more of a honey dew kind of gal, but cantaloupe is fine," she told him. Their conversation went on without further talk of melons.

Once they had finished both their tea and dango, the two left the shop, also leaving behind a generous tip. They had spent the whole time giving each other flirtatious looks and touches, hopefully riling up Team Seven. Shisui once again wrapped his arm around Sakura's shoulders, and they started walking towards the park they had met at earlier. They now welcomed a comfortable silence as they walked, each simply finding the other's presence pleasant without the need for small talk. Though, they would occasionally whisper to each other about Sakura's team as they followed the pair.

"You know, you wouldn't think these guys were shinobi with how bad they are at sneaking around," Sakura sighed. Shisui just nodded in agreement. They were both astounded by their followers' lack of finesse. They were noisy and always in plain sight, leading the two to wonder how they managed on missions.

They walked through the park, noting how some of the trees were starting to bud with awaiting blossoms, a sign of the oncoming spring and the warmth that would join it. It was starting to get late, as the sun made its slow descent towards the horizon.

"Hm, how about I take you home?" Shisui offered, a small insinuation to his words. Sakura blinked at him, heat rising to her cheeks.

"Uh, I'm sorry, I'm not looking to… what?" She stumbled over her words in embarrassment. Shisui raised his eyebrows at her, not actually having meant to be suggestive.

"Ah, sorry. I just meant that I should walk you home. It's getting late," he corrected himself. Sakura relaxed immediately.

"Okay, that sounds fine," she agreed, and they headed off towards Sakura's apartment complex. They heard whispering behind them.

"That's the direction of Sakura-chan's place!"

"Shut up, dobe! They'll hear us."

"But what if he tries to take her innocence!"

Sakura felt her brow twitch with annoyance at her teammates. She was tempted to turn around and give them a piece of her mind, but Shisui squeezed her shoulder and leaned in to murmur something in her ear. "I've got a plan."

They arrived at Sakura's apartment a little while later. The two stood outside her door, looking into one another's eyes. Shisui took the moment the various shades of green that melted together in Sakura's irises, a lush forest hidden within their depths. He was shaken out of his trance when she spoke to him.

"So… Would you like to come in?" she asked shyly, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. Her body language was exaggerated, but it served its purpose when she heard Naruto fussing to his companions. Shisui grinned at her and nodded, taking her hand as she led him into her apartment. They shut the door behind them, instantly breaking their flirtatious facade as they laughed together. Shisui had gotten a glimpse of Sasuke's incredulous face out of the corner of his eye when Sakura had taken him into her home.

"They're going to go nuts the next time they see either one of us," he chuckled and shook his head, knowing very well how their followers would take the sight of him entering Sakura's apartment with her.

"Yeah, but they deserve to be thrown for a loop. Those idiots just don't know when to stay out of other people's business." Sakura switched on the lights in her living room so that she could maneuver her way around to the couch. Shisui sat down beside her, and they made themselves comfortable.

"Would you like something to drink?" Sakura asked, wanting to be a polite hostess. Shisui just shook his head.

"No, thanks. I'll only stay a little longer then sneak out once our stalkers have calmed down," he explained. He looked over to Sakura to catch her staring at him. She was biting her lip and he couldn't help the rush of interest. "Like what you see?" he teased her. She looked down at her lap, letting her hair cover her embarrassed face as she mumbled out an apology. Shisui reached between them and lifted up her chin so that they were eye-to-eye. "Can I kiss you?" he asked, his voice quiet and enticing. Sakura nodded slowly, and he leaned towards her to catch her lips in a soft kiss.

Sakura had been kissed before, but didn't have a whole lot of experience- mainly due to her overprotective team that frightened off any and all suitors. Shisui however, was obviously skilled in his movements, though he didn't seem to mind Sakura's inexperience. He took the lead, gently moving their lips together and cupping her cheek with one warm hand. Sakura leaned into the touch, angling their faces for better access. Shisui licked the seam of her lips in a silent question, and Sakura immediately complied, allowing him to slip his tongue inside her mouth. She moaned softly at the feeling of him practically devouring her, and soon enough, Sakura was in his lap as they made out heatedly.

Shisui's hand that was holding her hip slowly slid up and under her shirt, carefully stroking her side as they kissed. Sakura's breath hitched at the action, but made no move to stop him. It was when his hand trailed up her rips to the edge of her bra that pulled away. "Shisui, stop," she said, obviously out of breath. Shisui immediately retracted his hand and opened his eyes, looking at her with concern. When he saw the apprehension on her face, guilt swept over him and he looked away.

"Shit, I'm so sorry Sakura. I guess I got lost in the moment and- fuck, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," Shisui rambled on with his apology. Sakura's face softened and she lifted a hand to brush her thumb against his cheek. He returned his nervous gaze to hers.

"It's okay. You stop when I asked, so there's no harm done," Sakura told him, her voice soothing. Shisui relaxed, but still looked a little guilty, so Sakura pulled him in for another quick kiss. He melted into her touch for awhile, but eventually pulled back.

"I should probably get going," he said, and Sakura pouted. He chuckled a bit at her unwillingness to let him leave. "Do you work tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I have a morning shift," she sighed. "But I get off at noon." Shisui lit up at the information.

"How about I pick you up then for lunch?" he offered. Sakura blinked and smiled warmly at the suggestion.

"That sounds wonderful. I'll see you then!" She gave him one last lingering kiss before Shisui opened up her window and jumped out into the night. Tomorrow couldn't come too soon.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 **Summary:** Shisui flails at romance but still does a good job.

Sakura walked into the hospital lobby, nearly dragging her feet in exhaustion. She had a major surgery to perform and it took a lot out of her. When she went over to the front desk to put some files away, she felt a familiar presence making its way towards her.

"Hey, Sakura," Shisui greeted warmly. He had his hands in his pockets, posture relaxed even in the hospital- every shinobi's least favorite place.

"Hey! Hold on just a sec; I have a few files to put away." Sakura stepped behind the desk and shuffled a few things around before dusting herself off and smiling brightly at Shisui, all tiredness momentarily gone.

Together they walked out of the building and into the sunlight of the clear-skied day. Sakura stretched upwards then looked over to her companion.

"So, where are we off to today?" She asked, curious as to what Shisui had planned.

"Well, actually I have something for you first," he admitted sheepishly, a small blush spreading across his cheeks. Sakura raised an eyebrow, wondering what could possibly make the normally suave man blush like that.

"What is it?" She asked. Shisui grinned at her and pulled a single daisy from out of seemingly nowhere and held it out to her. Sakura blinked in surprise and smiled shyly at him. She gently took it from him and tucked it behind her ear.

"Thank you- it's very sweet," she said softly. Shisui scratched the back of his neck, looking away in embarrassment despite the pleased look on his face.

"Yeah, well, I'm kinda new to the whole 'romance' thing. I'm learning," he chuckled. Sakura just shook her head in amusement and reached over to grasp his hand in hers. He looked at their hands then over to her.

"It's cute" Sakura giggled. This new side of Shisui was awfully endearing, and Sakura was having fun with it. "Hey, before we go out, can we stop by my apartment? I just want to change out of my work clothes."

Shisui nodded and they left for her place, which was luckily nearby. Sakura unlocked the door and they entered the cozy apartment. Sakura told him she'd be quick and left down a hallway to her bedroom to change. Shisui was left looking around the living room, having not gotten a good look at it the night before. A small smile graced his lips at the thought of the evening they had spent together.

He walked over to a bookshelf pushed against the far wall and examined what she had there. Most of the books were medical journals and textbooks, though there were a few recreational novels as well. Then, he looked lower and noticed something quite interesting.

Sakura walked back into the room a few moments later, now dressed in more casual clothes. She noticed Shisui laughing to himself and cleared her throat to announce her arrival. Shisui turned to her, a familiar orange book held up in one hand.

"Didn't think you would be into this kinda thing," he chuckled, causing Sakura's face to turn to a brilliant shade of red.

"I'm not!" she denied. Icha Icha Paradise was _definitely_ not her thing. "It's Kakashi's. The boys always leave their stuff in my apartment," she grumbled.

Shisui just laughed again and put the book down. "Just teasing. Anyways, you ready to go?"

Sakura sighed and gave her affirmation, and then they were off.

They arrived at Ichiraku's a little later, sitting down at the stall and waiting to order. Ayame greeted them and gave Sakura a knowing smirk as she took their orders. Sakura rolled her eyes and went back to her conversation with Shisui. Shisui was asking about her latest project- prosthetic limbs that can channel chakra. It was proving to be quite frustrating, but she was as determined as ever, refusing to give up. Shisui admired her resolve and dedication to her work. She truly wanted to help as many people as she could.

Eventually, the time came for them to part ways.

"It was great spending time with you," Shisui said. "I wish I could stay longer, but I need to pack for a mission I leave on tomorrow morning."

Sakura nodded in understanding. "Of course. I'll see you when you get back though, right?" A sudden wave of insecurity washed over her. Things had been going great, but what if he lost interest in her while he was away?

"Definitely," he assured her. He surprised her by leaning forward and giving her a soft kiss. "I'll see you in about a week."

When Sakura got back home, she plopped down on her bed and just lied there for a while with a goofy smile on her face.

Hey, sorry this is so short! School is a drag, so I can't always focus on writing. However, chapters should be getting longer from here on out, as more interesting things will start happening. Also, this is going to be mainly fluffy self indulgence with some smut later on. Pretty much just romance bc i'm a sucker. Anyways, hope you like this so far!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **Summary:** Sakura's boys are ridiculous, and Ino is helpful. Shisui has a good memory.

* * *

When Sakura met her team the next day for some quality bonding time/training, she was immediately bombarded by questions and accusations.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto cried, rushing towards her and hugging her before pulling back and looking her over. Sakura blinked in confusion.

"Naruto?"

"What did that bastard do to you?!" he demanded, looking at her intently.

"What are you talking about?" she asks, brow furrowing at Naruto's panic.

"That Uchiha! Did he destroy your innocence?!" Naruto was shaking her now, growing more and more frantic. Sakura shoved him off of her and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Naruto!" she scolded. "You shouldn't talk like that. Shisui is a nice guy."

"But he'll hurt you like the heartless Uchiha he is! I just know it!" Naruto wailed, eye's wide and lower lip trembling. Sakura looked to her other teammates for help, but just received similar upset looks.

"He's right," Sasuke said with a wince, obviously hating to agree with Naruto. "Shisui's a degenerate."

Sakura glared at him. Naruto flapped his arms around in a wild gesture to get her attention again.

"We saw him go into your apartment with you after your date!" he exclaimed. "What was he doing? Huh?!"

Sai made a comment about unplanned pregnancy statistics that Sakura chose to ignore.

"You guys are so insufferable!" Sakura shouted, a tick developing in her eyebrow. She had wanted to mess with them that night but she didn't expect them to be so overbearing. "My love life is none of your business."

"Maa, we just want to make sure that a Konoha shinobi doesn't have to go missing due to any… _unsavory_ behavior," Kakashi gave on of his eye-crinkle smiles that looked more threatening than cheerful. Sakura sighed in annoyance, and walked over to each of her boys to give them a solid thump on the head.

"Sakura-chan! Ouch!"

"Hmph."

"..."

"Maa…"

"Now!" Sakura clapped her hands together. "Let's do some training!" Each of the males saw the evil glint in her eyes and gulped. This would be less of a training session and more of a beat-down.

* * *

Sakura made her way down to the Yamanaka flower shop, freshly showered and on her way to meet Ino. She felt loose and pleasant after her training session (see: utter clobbering) with her team, and was now excited to see her best girl friend.

When she entered the shop, the little bell at the door chimed, alerting Ino to her presence. The moment Ino saw her, her face lit up and she spoke a few words to her mother at the counter before bouncing over to Sakura and taking her arm.

"Sakura, come on!" She steered the two of them up the stairs and into the apartment on top of the store. Once they were in Ino's room, they both plopped down on cushy beanbags. Just as Sakura was about to say something, Ino beat her to the punch.

"So!" she started, a certain devious look in her eyes. "A little birdy told me you were seen at that tea shop we were planning on going to- _together_ might I add- with a mysterious, handsome man. Spill."

Sakura stared at her for a moment before laughing a little at the earnest look on Ino's face. Ino just huffed and gestured for her to go on.

"Okay, okay," Sakura placated, "I went on a date."

"With who?" Ino gasped excitedly. She was leaning forward in her beanbag, all attention on Sakura.

"Uchiha Shisui," Sakura answered. Ino squealed at this, urging her to give more details because they hardly ever got to have "actual girl talk."

"Well, I had heard of him before, but I only met him about two weeks ago, when he stopped by the training grounds Team 7 was at in the Uchiha compound," Sakura began her explanation, a small smile on her face. "He was really charming, and I immediately wrote him off as a fuckboy." Ino snorted at this. "We didn't talk much, but a week or so later we met again at Sasuke's house for dinner. He was a total flirt and I was a little embarrassed by the attention, but it riled the boys up so much- it was hilarious! And at the end of the night, he asked me out. I said yes."

"I thought you said he was a fuckboy? You normally wouldn't go for that type," Ino questioned.

"Well, it was sorta just to mess with Sasuke and Naruto, but also because he's really hot, and even though he was flirty, he was also sweet. I just wanted to see more," Sakura shrugged and grinned shyly. Ino told her to keep going. "Okay, so we went out for tea and stuff in the afternoon a couple days later, but we ended up staying out pretty late. And get this- my team was stalking us the whole time! Even Kakashi was there! So I invited him in when he walked me home."

"Oooohhh," Ino giggled and waggled her eyebrows. Sakura swatted her on the arm playfully and rolled her eyes.

"Save it. So, we talked a bit more and then he asked if he could kiss me." Ino gasped. "I said yes because he was a total gentleman all night and really fun to talk to. He was… an _awesome_ kisser."

"Oh my god!" Ino grabbed Sakura's hand. "He asked to kiss you? Instead of just going for it? That's so cute! Ahhh, I'm so happy for you, Forehead!" Ino smiled widely, genuinely excited for her friend.

"Yeah, it was pretty great," Sakura agreed. "We started making out, and then he asked me out for another date after my shift the next day. And, wow, he showed up and gave me a daisy that I put behind my ear. Too. Adorable. And he was so nervous! I don't think he's used to 'romance' other than suggestive flirting."

"That means he's totally into you! I _need_ to meet this boy," Ino said determinedly. Sakura shrugged, but didn't say anything. Ino thought for a moment, then came to her conclusion. "You should take him to the Spring Festival!"

"That… actually sounds like a great idea," Sakura agreed. Ino beamed at her.

"Of course! And Team Asuma always goes together, so we can meet up and you can introduce us. I'll help get you ready too!" Ino was on a roll, getting really excited about the idea of dressing Sakura up. She never wanted to be all girly with Ino.

"Okay, okay, I yield," Sakura rolled her eyes with a fond smile on her face. They got to planning for the festival, and Sakura couldn't help but feel so lucky that Ino was her friend.

* * *

A couple days later, Sakura was at the Uchiha main house once again, as requested by Mikoto. The two were in the kitchen, making dango together and chatting about the goings on of the village. Mikoto had all of the latest gossip and loved sharing it with Sakura, who just shook her head and laughed.

"Oh, and Sakura-chan," Mikoto started. Sakura hummed in acknowledgement as she kept working. "Shisui should be here any moment- he's getting back from his mission today."

Sakura perked up and turned around to see Mikoto smirking at her. She felt her face heat up at the knowing look the Uchiha matriarch had on her face. "You know, I think-"

"Home sweet home!" A cheerful voice called out from the living room, cutting Mikoto off. A dirty yet exuberant Shisui pranced into the kitchen, giving Mikoto a kiss on the cheek. "Hey, Mikoto-baa," he grinned, then turned to see Sakura. "Sakura-chan!" He looked like an excited puppy as he stepped over to give her a similar kiss, this one on her forehead.

"Hey, Shisui- welcome back," Sakura greeted him, smiling softly at his little kiss.

"Yes, welcome back Shisui-kun," Mikoto said. Shisui just kept smiling. He noticed the dango they were making and tried to snag some, but Mikoto slapped his hand away. "Not until we're done. Also, you're filthy- get out of my kitchen." She scolded him like a child. Shisui pouted, but did as told, walking away from the kitchen sullenly. He stopped at the doorway abruptly when he remembered something.

"Oh! Sakura-chan, I have something for you, but I dropped it off at my house before I came over here. Would you like to come over?" He scratched the back of his neck idly, and if Shisui was any other man, Sakura would think that he was nervous about inviting her over. But come on, this was Shisui.

"Sure, of course. Lead the way," Sakura agreed easily, following Shisui out of the home after telling Mikoto she'd be back soon. Mikoto had just waved her off and given her a wink which left the younger woman flustered. Damn her and her implications.

The pair made their way to Shisui's home, chatting lightly about the mission the Uchiha had just been on. Some information was classified, but he did tell her about the shenanigans his team members had gotten into while they were away. Who knew Genma had zero alcohol tolerance and a penchant for karaoke?

Shisui opened his front door and gestured for Sakura to enter first with a dramatic sweep of his arm. Sakura rolled her eyes and laughed, but went ahead nonetheless. Shisui followed right after her and they made their way to the living room.

"You can sit down, I'm just going to fetch your gift from the kitchen," Shisui told her. He exited the room, leaving Sakura to her own devices. She sat down on the couch that was pushed up against the far wall and looked over to the small table beside it. There was a framed picture of three young boys- Shisui, Itachi, and Sasuke. Sasuke was staring up at Itachi with starry eyes, while Itachi appeared to be sighing at Shisui who was trying to balance a kunai on his head. All in all, it was a cute picture, and Sakura looked at it fondly.

"Watcha smiling about?" Shisui asked as he walked back into the living room, a small box in his hands.

"Just this picture," Sakura nodded towards the photograph she had been observing. Shisui looked at it for a moment before a wide grin spread across his face.

"That was taken on Sasuke's fifth birthday. He was so excited to get to spend the day with his big brother and super-awesome older cousin," Shisui explained, then sighed. "Too bad that childish awe is all gone. At least for me. He still worships Itachi-chan."

Sakura laughed softly at that. Yeah, Sasuke definitely still held his brother up on a pedestal.

"Anyways," Shisui started, snapping Sakura out of her musings, "I have your present!" Shisui handed her the box and told her to open it. Sakura smiled and did so. Her face lit up when she saw the contents.

In the small paper box was four pieces of green tinted mocchi. "It's honeydew flavored," Shisui told her. "I've never seen it before, and on our first date you told me you liked honeydew, so…" He trailed off awkwardly, still smiling at her.

"This is so sweet of you," Sakura looked up at him, gratitude shining in her eyes. "I honestly forgot I had told you that. I'm surprised you remembered." Shisui just shrugged.

"Well, I'm glad you like it. I'm still kind of disgusting from my mission, so I'm going to take a quick shower. You're welcome to stay, I won't be long," Shisui said, looking at her for an answer.

"If you really don't mind…" Sakura was a little nervous about the idea- she didn't want to intrude.

"Of course I don't. Just make yourself at home," he waved her off before heading to where she assumed the bathroom was. Sakura just made herself comfy and looked around for something to do.

* * *

About 20 minutes later saw Sakura sitting on the couch, reading a book on genjutsu she hadn't seen before. It was by an Uchiha author, which had immediately piqued her interest. The Uchiha hardly ever shared their knowledge, even if it wasn't about their doujutsu specifically. Stingy bastards.

When Sakura heard footsteps coming from the hallway Shisui had disappeared down earlier, she looked up from her reading and had to stop herself from gaping.

Shisui stood there in loose black sweatpants, his upper body completely bare save for the towel hanging from his neck. His hair was partially dried, but still damp, and a few pieces stuck to his forehead and curled around the sides of his face. His skin was flushed from the hot shower, and a few water droplets rolled lazily down his torso.

"You okay there?" Shisui asked. Sakura eyes snapped back up to his smirking face from where she had been gazing at his sharp hip bones peeking out from his waistband. "Maybe I should go shirtless more often, huh?" He teased her, stepping towards her and settling himself down on the couch next to her. "You like the book?" He asked her, gesturing down to the forgotten reading material in her lap. Sakura's face heated up at being caught staring so blatantly. She was a medical professional who saw dozens of naked bodies on the daily, yet she was so captivated by the sight of Shisui's toned abs, and his broad chest, and-

Anyways, Sakura shook her head to keep from getting off track. "It's really interesting," she said. "There's a lot I don't know about genjutsu, and this is very enlightening. I mean, I knew there was a lot of medical science behind it- you have to use chakra to alter the brain functions, even if most people do it instinctively- but this goes into a lot of depth about how altering the qualities of your chakra when invading certain parts of the brain can change so many aspects of the illusion, and-" She stopped herself and looked away. "Sorry, I'm rambling," she mumbled in embarrassment. She felt a heavy hand on her shoulder and turned her head back to Shisui.

"Don't worry, it's cute how excited you get," he assured her. When she didn't look convinced he continued. "Besides, I'm partly a genjutsu specialist. Your 'rambling' about it may just save my career one day," he joked, nudging her playfully. She smiled shyly back at him, feeling a bit better about her sudden nerdiness. "Now, what were you saying about chakra qualities?"

Sakura beamed and began her explanation on the functions of each part of the brain and how they reacted to chakra. Shisui didn't always follow, and asked a lot of questions, but both found that they enjoyed discussing the subject with each other. Being able to match one another with their intellect was something that both appreciated. And, Shisui thought, Sakura's eyes looked really pretty when they were bright with the prospect of sharing knowledge.

* * *

One genjutsu discussion and a mini makeout session later, Shisui and Sakura were lying sideways on the couch together, cuddled up and ready to doze off. Then, Sakura remembered her question for Shisui.

"Hey, Shisui?" She started. He hummed and opened his eyes to look at her. "Would you like to go to the Spring Festival with me?" He blinked at her and smiled lazily.

"Of course I would," he murmured sleepily. He tipped his head down to give her a slow, sweet kiss. "Do you want me to pick you up?" Sakura shook her head.

"Ino and I are going to get ready together, then meet her team at the park by the memorial stone. You could meet us there too?" She explained. Shisui nodded. "Perfect. Ino is excited to meet you."

"As long as she doesn't try to strangle me for 'tainting' you, I'd love to meet your friends," he chuckled. Sakura swatted him playfully on the arm. "What? I'm pretty sure Kakashi-senpai tried to set up a trap for me in the ANBU locker rooms. Your team is brutal."

"Yeah, but they've been with me since my genin days; it's too late to get rid of them," she said, snuggling further into Shisui's chest and closing her eyes. Shisui just sighed in mock disappointment and held her close as they both drifted off to sleep.


End file.
